Vestas closed the UK's only wind turbine blade factories, on the Isle of Wight, in August 2009. Workers occupied the factory, then picketed. This blog is a history of that dispute and of the ongoing campaign for green jobs.

Finally, the police allow a decent amount of food in!

CAMPAIGNERS to save the Vestas wind turbine factory came out in force this afternoon (Saturday) to slam the company which owns it and support the workers who have been staging the sit in — now into its 12th day.

Amid reports the occupying protesters had been underfed, with one already taken to hospital suffering the effects of malnourishment, the police agreed to allow into the factory bags of groceries provided by the the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

The food was received by the Vestas 11 to cheers from a rally of more than 200 people, who marched in appalling weather from St Thomas’s Square to the factory in Newport.

The peaceful rally was supported by workers, families, trade unions, green organisations and various other individuals and groups.

Michael Bradley, a former sit-in protester, urged those at the rally to protest at the legal case to throw staff out of the factory, when it is heard again at the IW County Court on Tuesday.

“We are paying the price for someone else’s crisis. It is difficult to sum up how horrendous Vestas has been. We need everyone there to make a stand,” said Mr Bradley, 41.

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What we're fighting for

Vestas Blades UK made production workers at their factories on the Isle of Wight redundant on 12 August 2009. More than 500 jobs were lost. Many more jobs that depend on Vestas will follow. This makes no sense from a green or a labour perspective!

At the same time, the government announced a major expansion of renewable energy including wind power. We are calling on the government to intervene to save jobs at companies like Vestas - through nationalisation if that is what it takes - to show that it is serious about saving the planet.

Actions & meetings

Wednesday 17 February

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT 7pm, Save Our Services public meeting, called by Unison, but open to all who want to campaign against the proposed cuts to council and all jobs and services. Venue: Hunnyhill Room, The Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight.